Sudan closes all Tearfund offices in the country

On Monday, government officials visited the offices of Tearfund across Sudan and ordered them closed until further notice.

“Individual staff members, personal belongings, and organisational assets have been treated with respect,” Tearfund says in a brief statement on their website.

“The reasons for the closure are not known at this time. Tearfund has a cordial working relationship with the Government of Sudan at local and national levels.

“We are actively seeking the Government’s direction on how to proceed in order to resume our humanitarian activities.

“Tearfund project beneficiaries are our greatest concern at this time. Tearfund has been working in Darfur since 2004, and is currently delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance with a focus on nutrition, food security, water and sanitation,” the statement reads.

Radio Dabanga reported earlier this week that security agents raided the organisation’s office in Nierteti on Monday.

“They seized all the materials, equipment, and devices, including more than SDG250,000 ($39,220) cash in the treasurer’s safe, and personal belongings of the staff members,” an eyewitness reported.

“They then took the foreign and Sudanese staff to the office of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) in Nierteti.”